Futue financial burdens discussed by Fair Lawn Council

By Tom Nobile

Staff Writer |

Community News (Fair Lawn Edition)

The borough council devoted its entire Aug. 12 work session to discussing long-term financial issues burdening the town.

The meeting was spilt into two discussions, led by Borough Manger Jim Van Kruiningen and CFO Karen Palermo, who outlined the town's five-year layout for capital projects and gave an analysis on long-term capital debt.

The numbers, though not definite according to Van Kruiningen, provided the council with general overview of potential expenses for each borough department until 2019.

Per Van Kruiningen, the town is anticipating major expenses of $200,000 per year in 2015, 2017 and 2019 to replace the town's ambulance fleet. Answering roughly 200 calls per year, Van Kruiningen said the town now has a purchasing timeline of every two years.

"With the amount of work those ambulances get, the amount of mileage, the amount of patients they transport, we're basically on that type of schedule," he said.

Other borough vehicles in need of replacement by 2016 include a garbage truck at $250,000, rescue vehicle, fire engine and chief's vehicle.

One glaring expense planned for 2017 is Memorial Pool's infrastructure upgrade estimated at $1.8 million. Pending town council approval, the renovations would include adding a bathhouse, restrooms, a refreshment stand and administration offices and modernizing the pool into a full-scale facility.

Van Kruningen said that the total will reach $3 million if pool renovations are added.

The presentation also included a three-phase plan for rehabilitating the Naugle House, a historic property acquired by the town for $1.7 million in 2010. In the years since its purchase, the house has fallen into disrepair, requiring major internal and external renovations.

The town is applying for matching grants from the county to restore the house, with the first costing $117,000.

Though recognized by the National Register of Historic Places, the house currently serves no function for the town, a point Van Kruiningen urged the council to consider.

"What is the intention of what we're going to do with it?" he asked. "By the time we're done with, let's say, the rehabilitation process of the facility itself, we're into it for over $2.5 million."

Rounding out the presentation was a five-year estimate for paving some of the borough's damaged roads. Given the year's tough winter, at least $1.2 million is anticipated each year for roadway repaving until 2019. Van Kruiningen said $1.2 million is enough to pave about three miles, but only a drop in the bucket compared to the town's 81.4 total miles of roadway.

"I think the takeaway of course is that we know there are going to be some major increases at the minimum, especially when it comes to road resurfacing," Mayor John Cosgrove said.

Futue financial burdens discussed by Fair Lawn Council

By Tom Nobile

Staff Writer |

Community News (Fair Lawn Edition)

The borough council devoted its entire Aug. 12 work session to discussing long-term financial issues burdening the town.

The meeting was spilt into two discussions, led by Borough Manger Jim Van Kruiningen and CFO Karen Palermo, who outlined the town's five-year layout for capital projects and gave an analysis on long-term capital debt.

The numbers, though not definite according to Van Kruiningen, provided the council with general overview of potential expenses for each borough department until 2019.

Per Van Kruiningen, the town is anticipating major expenses of $200,000 per year in 2015, 2017 and 2019 to replace the town's ambulance fleet. Answering roughly 200 calls per year, Van Kruiningen said the town now has a purchasing timeline of every two years.

"With the amount of work those ambulances get, the amount of mileage, the amount of patients they transport, we're basically on that type of schedule," he said.

Other borough vehicles in need of replacement by 2016 include a garbage truck at $250,000, rescue vehicle, fire engine and chief's vehicle.

One glaring expense planned for 2017 is Memorial Pool's infrastructure upgrade estimated at $1.8 million. Pending town council approval, the renovations would include adding a bathhouse, restrooms, a refreshment stand and administration offices and modernizing the pool into a full-scale facility.

Van Kruningen said that the total will reach $3 million if pool renovations are added.

The presentation also included a three-phase plan for rehabilitating the Naugle House, a historic property acquired by the town for $1.7 million in 2010. In the years since its purchase, the house has fallen into disrepair, requiring major internal and external renovations.

The town is applying for matching grants from the county to restore the house, with the first costing $117,000.

Though recognized by the National Register of Historic Places, the house currently serves no function for the town, a point Van Kruiningen urged the council to consider.

"What is the intention of what we're going to do with it?" he asked. "By the time we're done with, let's say, the rehabilitation process of the facility itself, we're into it for over $2.5 million."

Rounding out the presentation was a five-year estimate for paving some of the borough's damaged roads. Given the year's tough winter, at least $1.2 million is anticipated each year for roadway repaving until 2019. Van Kruiningen said $1.2 million is enough to pave about three miles, but only a drop in the bucket compared to the town's 81.4 total miles of roadway.

"I think the takeaway of course is that we know there are going to be some major increases at the minimum, especially when it comes to road resurfacing," Mayor John Cosgrove said.